250 Years of American History In 9 Minutes

250 Years of American History In 9 Minutes video by Kite & Key Media.

Summary:

250 years of American history in 9 minutes — with no words. 

250 Years of American Hunting

Above, Daniel Boone.

We are celebrating America's 250th birthday today.

One big feature of our heritage is the Second Amendment. From self defense to just plain plinking or hunting, firearms play a big role in that heritage.

American Hunter (NRA) takes a look at 250 years of American hunting and spotlights several notable American hunters in our history.

They begin with:

As we Americans celebrate the semiquincentennial—250th anniversary—of our great country, understand there are, of course, various interpretations of what made our country great. But no one can deny the role of frontiersmen in our history—and they depended on hunting for their survival. (Unfortunately, in some circles there are those who reject the very idea of America being a great country, but such perfidy is not worth our time, for life is too short to waste it on negative nincompoops.) At 250, our country has lived longer than any of us ever will, so let’s celebrate this unique moment with unabashed patriotism.

There are few recreational activities where patriotism runs deeper than in hunting. In a deep sense, we hunters are traditionalists—we go get our meat from the land, just as the frontiersmen did when the country was founded. Our equipment is more sophisticated than theirs, but fundamentally the activity is the same. When the country expanded in the founding era, it was largely thanks to frontiersmen who braved forth and charted uncharted land. Of course, there were no grocery stores in the wilderness—you ate what you brought with you, and when it ran out you hunted your dinner. You cleared the land for farming, but you still depended on meat from the land until your crops were ready.

Therefore, at this time of grateful celebration, we American hunters cannot be faulted if we also indulge in filiopietism—the enthusiastic reverence of traditions and ancestors. In fact, filiopietism should be a very appropriate part of our celebration. After all, hunting made possible the existence of the frontiersmen, and frontiersmen made possible the expansion and thus the continued existence of the country, and therefore hunting is inseparably connected to America’s greatness.

Over the last 250 years, millions of Americans maintained the tradition of hunting by actively engaging in it. We will never know all their names—but we can commemorate those whose names we do know well. Even the latter list would be inordinately long, so we are therefore compelled to pick and choose some names over others, which is a subjective exercise after all. Nevertheless, the American hunters we celebrate here are worthy of being on anyone’s list.

To read more, go here. 

Happy Birthday, America!

 

15 Unforgettable Places To Celebrate America's 250th Birthday

Above, Mount Rushmore National Memorial last summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Fifty years ago, the nation celebrated its bicentennial. It hardly seems that long ago. My parents and I joint an aunt, uncle and cousins in Las Vegas during the bicentennial weekend.

This year, the nation is celebrating its 250th birthday (or semiquincentennial) on July 4.

USA Today posted an article of fifteen stunning US destinations "that capture the spirit of America." I have visited some of them over the years. 

They begin it with:

America is turning 250, but some of its greatest treasures don't sit behind museum glass. Actually, some of them do. But the awe-inspiring scenes that take your breath away and remind you of the beauty of our nation are hidden along winding roads, tucked into mountain valleys, perched atop sea cliffs and preserved in places that tell the story of who we are.

From a castle built by a Sherlock Holmes actor in Connecticut to lava fields in Idaho that helped train astronauts, these destinations showcase the beauty, ingenuity and delightful weirdness that make the United States unique.

To celebrate the nation's semiquincentennial, the USA TODAY Network rounded up 15 places that capture the spirit of America, in hopes that it inspires travelers to see our land, one unforgettable view, roadside attraction, historic landmark and natural wonder at a time.

To read more, go here.